Box machines



Oct. 29, 1957 R. F. HOLLIS 2,811,086

BOX MACHINES Filed Dec. 29, 1954 ZSheets-Sheet 1 'wi I 1 Lyra 7'02 U. L P051527 Han/.9

R. F. HOLLIS BOX MACHINES Oct. 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 29. 1954 new Ta 7; fafimr E 1 /0405 BOX MACHINES Robert F. Hollis, Alton, 111., assignor to Alton Box Board Company, Alton, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1954, Serial No. 478,377

6 Claims. (CI. 93-36) This invention relates to box machines, and more particularly, to apparatus for forming pockets along the corners of a paperboard box and securing reinforcing cleats within such pockets.

- In the copending application of H. Victor Bray et al., for Box Machine (Serial No. 383,362, filed September 30, 1953, now Patent No. 2,772,609), there is shown such a machine, but with that machine, the cleat-receiving pockets were to be die cut by the box manufacturer. In other words, a sheet of paperboard was die cut and scored to define corner folds and pocket-forming sections, and the sheet was then formed into a tube for shipment to the user. Thereafter, the die-cut pockets were pressed out by the user on the machine described in the above patent application.

- It is an object of this invention to eliminate such die cutting operations, insofar as they relate to the cleat receiving pockets, by providing a machine which both cuts and shapes the pockets in substantially one operation. Among the several other objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a machine of the character described that permits insertion of cleats while the work remains clamped on the machine; and the provision of a machine that provides for convenient securement of a cleat against longitudinal displacement prior to removal of the box from the machine.

' Briefly, in the machine herein disclosed, a pair of transverse cutting knives and a longitudinal bending die cooperate with an angular anvil having a comparatively long forming recess. The cutting knives and bending die may besecured upon a common ram-head, but the knives should project beyond the bending die. Also, the cutting blades preferably have a serrated edge in the shape of a notch, so as to engage the sides of the paperboard box simultaneously with or prior to engagement with the corner fold thereof. The anvil preferably includes a spring-biased pad mounted at the vertex of the anvil opposite the bending die to support the corner fold of the paperboard box during the cutting operation, and which thereafter yields under the advance of the bending diegwhen a pocket is formed." The spring-bias for this pad is insufiicient, however, to return the pocket-forming sections upon retraction of the die; hence a cleat may be inserted within the pocket while the paperboard box remains clamped upon the anvil after retraction of the die. The invention further contemplates that the machine may be equipped with a fastener-driving device, so that a staple may be driven through the corner of the paperboard tube to secure the cleat against lengthwise displacement during subsequent handling operations.

Other features of the invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed out in the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an oblique view of certain apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a reduced end view of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but with the cutting knives advanced;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2, but with the bending die in its advanced position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4, but with the bending die in its retracted position and showing a cleat inserted within a pocket previously formed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation .of the machine, parts. being broken away; and

Fig. 7 is an oblique view of the corner portion of a tube after insertion of the cleat. V p

It will be understood that cleat-reinforced paperboard containers are frequently utilized in packaging refrigerators and other somewhat bulky items. Usually, wooden cleats are attached to paperboard panels by staplesor glue, but another procedure is that of forming re-entrant cleat-receiving pockets along the corners of a paperboard box-forming tube and inserting the cleats lengthwise through these pockets. Heretofore, a paperboard blank has been die cut and scored to define both the corner folds and pocket-forming sections. The blank was then formed into a tube, which was. shipped to the user; the pockets being pressed inwardly and cleats inserted by the user. Because of the difiiculty encountered in shaping the pockets, it is preferable to equip the user with apparatus of the type described in the aforesaid application; The apparatus disclosed herein is of a type which permits the formation of such cleat-receiving pockets without previous die cutting or scoring.

Referring now to the drawings, the machine is shown to comprise a frame having a column 1, upon which is supported an elongate anvil 3 of angular cross section, the angle being approximately 45. The anvil may be constituted by a pair of plates 5 secured in right angular relationship upon a table 7, which is cantilevered from the column 1, but the plates terminate short of the vertex of their angle. As such, the inner edges 9 of the blades define a forming recess for cooperation with certain cutting and bending elements mounted opposite this recess.

The frame also includes an arm 11 cantilevered over the anvil in spaced relationship therewith, which arm carries a pair of clamping devices generally designated 13. Each such clamping device comprises a platen 17 adapted to be moved toward and away from one side 5 of the anvil by means of a power unit 15, such as a pneumatically operated cylinder and piston. An additional power unit 19 is mounted on the arm 11 between the clamping devices over the recess 9 in the anvil. This power unit 19, in turn, operates a ram-head 21 after advance of the clamping device 13 and retracts theram-head prior to release of the clamping device. Cutting knives 23 and a bending die 25 depend beneath the ram-head. g

In particular, each knife has a serrated edge 27 generally in the shape of a notch, the angle of the notch preferably being equal to or less than 45 so that the outer portions thereof engage the sides of the work simultaneously with or prior to engagement with the corner vertex. The bending die 25 may be tight angular shaped, the vertex 29 thereof extending downwardly but being located above the cutting edges 27 of the knives. The knives otherwise are of a width such as to pass through the recess 9 in the anvil, and the bending die 25 partially enters this recess, although it may also engage upon the edges 9 of the anvil.

It will also be noted that the anvil includes a pad 31 disposed within the recess 9 of the anvil at the vertex. This pad is located opposite the die 25 and terminates short of the cutting knives 23, so as to permit these knives to pass thereby. The pad otherwise is supported upon plungers 33 biased upwardly by springs 35, which permit movement of the pad from its advanced position of Figs. l-3 to a retracted position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The springs 35 supply a bias which is suflicient to resist in- Pat ent ed Oct. 29 1957 Ward collapse of the work upon advance of the knives while permitting such collapse when the bending die 25 engages the corner fold of the work.

-In operation, apaperboard box ortube having side walls 37 and a corner fold 39 is placedmponthe anvil so as to lie flat upon the sidesS, the cornerfold 39 being supported uponlthe pad 31. The clamping devices 13 are then actuated to advance their platens 17 against the side walls 37 of the tube and secure them on the anvil. The power unit 19 is then actuated to advance the ramhead 21. 7

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the blades 23 first cut across the corner of the work while the corner thereof remains supportedupon the pad 31. As such, the corner portion of the paperboard tube is divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections. The bending die 25, in following the cutting blades 23, then presses the center sections inwardly to form a re-entrant pocket, as shown at 41 in Fig. 4. This section 41 necessarily is of a length substantially less than that of the box-forming tube, so as to leave sections 43 for forming the corners of the box.

' It will be noted that the pad 31 opposite the bending die 25 is moved downwardly by the die, and that the pad remains in its lower position upon retraction of the die, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so as to permit insertion of the cleat. In bending the portion 41 inwardly, an overcentering effect is achieved, which effect is suflicient to resist return of the spring-biased pad 31. In other words, the bias of the springs 35 should not be such as to rebend the pocket 41 upon retraction of the bending die.

After retraction of the die, a cleat. 45 may be readily inserted from one end of the machine, the cleat passing beneath the corner-defining sections 43 and above the pocket-forming section 41. Inward movement of the cleat may be limited by engagement with a stop 47 located to align the cleat longitudinally with the box. This stop, in turn, might operate a power-driven stapler 49, disposed to drive a fastener 51 through one of the sections 41 or 43 into the cleat. This fastener is helpful in preventing longitudinal displacement of the cleat when the tube is removed from the machine. Although the fastener-driving device is shown mounted upon one of the platens 17 to drive a fastener through an unformed end section 43, it might be located beneath the anvil to drive the fastener through the formed center-section 41.

' Finally, the platens 17 are retracted to clear the work. The box-forming tube would normally be rotated about the anvil, until all four corners have received reinforcing cleats. In order to permit such movement of the work after insertion of a cleat, however, the forming recess 9 must be open the length of the box, and if the anvil is longer than the box, the recess is accordingly longer than the die 25.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that those skilled in the art will understand the structure, function and mode of operation of the invention disclosed, and appreciate the advantages thereof. Although one embodiment has been disclosed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but the drawings 4 and description thereof are to be understood as being illustrative. For example, the cutting knives 23 and bending die 25 might be operated by separate power units; or if desired, the clamps 17 and ram-head 21 could be operated by a common power unit, as by providing springs which permit the clamping devices to yield as the knives and bending die are fully advanced. Other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. Box-forming apparatus of the character disclosed comprising an elongate anvil of generally angular cross section, said anvil having a forming recess extending the length of its vertex, a relatively short bending die mounted opposite said anvil for transverse movement into said forming recess, a pair of cutting blades mounted opposite said anvil at the ends of said bending die for movement toward said anvil, means for moving said blades toward said anvil in advance of said die, and means for clamping work upon the anvil prior to advance of said' cutting blades;

2.. Box-forming appartus as set forth in claim 1, further including a work-supporting pad mounted within the recess of saidtanvil opposite said bending die, said pad terminating short of said cutting blades and being supported to resist-inward collapse of the work upon advance of the cutting blades and to retract upon advance of the die within said recess.

3. Box-forming apparatus as set. forth in claim 2, wherein said pad is spring-biased to an advanced position at the vertex of the anvil, the bias being insufiicient, however, to return a formed portion of the work to its original position after retraction of the bending die.

4. Box-forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cutting blades have a serrated cutting edge generally in shape of a notch. V g r 5. Box-forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, furtherincluding'a fastener-driving device located adjacent the vertex of the anvil to drive a fastener through the work. a v

6. Box-forming apparatus of a character for forming a pocket along the corner of a box for receiving a cleat, comprising an anvil of right angular cross section, said anvil having a forming recess extending the length of its vertex, clamping platens mounted opposite the sides of References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Beadle Mar. 30, 1915 Graham July 8, 1952 

